Southeast Georgia Health System Receives Certificate of Need Approval

Jan. 11, 2018 – The Georgia Department of Community Health approved
a certificate of need on November 17, 2017, for the renovation and expansion
of the Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick Campus.

The approval gives the Health System permission to renovate the existing
4th and 5th floors of the St. Simons Tower, and renovate and expand the
Emergency Care Center and Surgical Platform/Central Sterile Supply area. There will also be
renovations and upgrades to the central energy plant and associated infrastructure.
The number of licensed beds will not change.

The proposed project involves 141,377 square feet of renovations; 73,734
square feet of new construction; and has a total estimated cost approaching
$125 million. The Health System expects to begin renovations in early
2018 and anticipates completion in late 2020.

The renovation to the 4th and 5th floors will convert all semi-private
patient rooms into more spacious private room accommodations. The proposed
32 bed Medical/Surgical Units are arranged to improve the flow and efficiency
within the units to minimize travel distances, increase observation/visual
control and improve staff communication. Primary support spaces, such
as medication rooms and cleaning supplies/linen storage, are located proximal
to the patient room to provide a “one-stop shop” concept that
minimizes traffic and reduces service time for patients.

The Emergency Care Center renovation and addition will expand the center
from 35 exam/treatment rooms to 50, including two trauma rooms. To accommodate
the additional treatment rooms, the Emergency Care Center will expand
by 12,141 square feet.

The
Surgical Services renovation will include a new main entry to the department off of Parkwood
Drive which will consist of a canopy and a two-story lobby offering improved
wayfinding for both patients and visitors. The renovation and addition
to the existing surgical services will consist of
Pre-/Post-surgery areas with a greater degree of privacy, Post Anesthesia
Care Unit (PACU), endoscopy suites, 16 operating rooms, and central sterile
processing and support areas. The new addition will also include a mechanical
space on the third floor and allow for covered parking on the first level.
The addition will be constructed in such a way that two additional floors
and patient rooms could be added in the future should there be an increased
demand for services.

The Southeast Georgia Health System, Inc. and Glynn-Brunswick Memorial
Hospital Authority boards sold $106,860,000 of tax-exempt revenue bonds
on December 19, 2017, to help fund the renovation and expansion. A capital
campaign will be launched by the Health System’s Foundation in 2018
to raise additional funding.